Fake Army captains beat up policeman in Ekiti

Two men, Abdullahi Kabiru, 28, and Obare Tunde, 39, who were in army uniform with the ranks of captain, assaulted a police constable, Lawrence Awoniyi, at Omuo Ekiti in the Ekiti East Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

The two men, who allegedly identified themselves as army captains and assaulted the policeman on May 31, 2020, were said to have come to Omuo Ekiti from Ife Olukotun village in the Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The assault reportedly took place when the two men sighted the policeman in uniform.

The Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Mr Asuquo Amba, said on Sunday, “The two suspects, who identified themselves as captains of the Nigerian Army attached to the 44 Battalion in Niger State, assaulted the police constable, beat him mercilessly and further threatened to break his head with a bottle.

“The police constable called for reinforcement, which led to the arrest of the two suspects. During interrogation by the SARS operatives, the two suspects confessed to being fake soldiers and claimed that the army uniform belongs to one of their brothers.”

Amba said investigation had been extended to the said brother to ascertain the veracity of the claim by the two men.

The CP said the military uniform had been recovered from the suspects.

Amba said the police also arrested one Abdulsalam Olalekan for allegedly posing as a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps in the Atinkankan area of Ado Ekiti last month.

The CP said in the course of investigation, Olalekan confessed to not being a corps member and that he burgled the apartment of one Abdulsalam Ibrahim at Aghenebode in Edo State, where he stole a NYSC identity card and uniform.

According to the police boss, the items that the suspect confessed to have stolen are one NYSC fez cap, a pair of NYSC boot, one identity card of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, belonging to Akinlabi Teslimat Damilola, identity cards of the Kebbi State University and the NYSC, both belonging to Abdulsalam Ibrahim.

He added that the suspect would be handed over to the Edo State Police Command for prosecution.